It is well known that track rollers for endless track vehicles are subject to high wear and require frequent repair or replacement. In actuality, failure of the rim portion of the roller is the usual cause for such repair or replacement, and it has been recognized that a replaceable rim arrangement for the track roller would provide an economic advantage, since the remaining roller structure would not need to be replaced because of failure of or damage sustained by the rim portion alone. Accordingly, replaceable rims are known in the prior art, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,154,958 discloses such as system, but such prior art replaceable rims tend to be complex and costly, involving multi-part hub assemblies, complex fastening arrangements, and cumbersome replacement procedures. As a rule, replacement of the rim portion of the hub involves disturbing the bearings and seals associated with the hub, and this makes the entire procedure more costly, since a disturbed seal usually must be replaced.
In viewing prior art replacement rim systems, one notes a remarkable lack of a simple and economical replaceable rim system that enables the rim portion of the roller to be replaced without disturbing or disassembling the various internal seals and bearings of the hub assembly. One also observes that a replaceable rim system should permit the rim element itself to be reworked or repaired for subsequent use if the rim is salvageable. Finally, one recognizes that the replaceable rim must be simple to install in the field where the vehicle is located with minimal use of special tooling or procedures.